In a conventional element holding structure for an air cleaner device in which a wet air cleaner element and an element holder for supporting the element are accommodated in an air cleaner case having an intake duct, the air cleaner element has a cylindrical shape, and the intake duct is allowed to face the outer circumferential side of the element in the air cleaner case, so that the outer circumferential side of the element is defined as a dirty side (intake air upstream side) and the inner circumferential side thereof is defined as a clean side (intake air downstream side), and the air cleaner element is held in the air cleaner case through the element holder arranged on the inner circumferential side of the element (e.g., JP-A No. S62-074790). The element holder also functions as a flame trap (spark arrester) by which flame (backfire) and the like from an engine are prevented from reaching the air cleaner element.
In the case of an air cleaner device of, for example, a multi-cylinder engine, it is desirable in some cases that the inner circumferential side of the air cleaner element in a cylindrical shape is defined as a dirty side and the outer circumferential side thereof is defined as a clean side. However, there is a problem in the conventional structure because an additional flame trap needs to be provided on the outer circumferential side of the element, and thus the number of components and steps for maintenance are increased.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to reduce the number of components and steps for maintenance in an element holding structure for an air cleaner device in which the inner circumferential side of a wet and cylindrical air cleaner element is defined as a dirty side and the outer circumferential side thereof is defined as a clean side.